Sanofi Leads European Shares to 2013 Closing Low

European shares closed lower after choppy trading on Thursday, tracking falls on the U.S. equity markets, while a decline in French drugmaker Sanofi also weighed on the region's bourses.

Two leading pan-European equity indexes fell to 2013 closing lows on Thursday, led by weakness in drugmaker Sanofi after its results, and amid persistent concern over the region's economic weakness.

The FTSEurofirst 300 index provisionally closed down 0.3 percent at 1,149.29 points, after choppy trade on Thursday. At one stage the pan-European index was up by as much as 0.5 percent at 1,158.26 points.

A two-day EU summit will kick off in Brussels on Thursday. The council is expected to discuss its financial framework for 2014-2020. It's also the first meeting since U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron confirmed that his country would hold a referendum on EU membership.